The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-02-17

And Q thousand million lives are his
Who carries the world In his sympathies,
To deny
IL to die.
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER XXI.
BURIED ALIVE.
Ny secret, then, was discovered!
The blood rushed back upon my
heart, and / am not ashamed to con-
Tess that fear-a fear that made me
silent-was my first emotion. 1t was
woman whose beauty was menace,
whose love was deadly danger. Her
beauty now threatened me; her love, /
knew well enough, had doubly imperilled
Mary Fortescue's safety. And yet it
was hard to believe that perils and
dangers were to be feared from the
queenlike and graceful creature who,
with one beautifully moulded arm al
most around me, was looking with
smile, half mockery, half affection, into
my eyes.
1 quietly covered with one hand the
envelope ! had been directing. She
might have seen the direction; it was
too late to guard against that, nor did
II greatly matter. Whether she had or
not, the battle was likely enough to
have to be fought out before the Prus-
SLAMS, in the shape Of DR.. Shaw, could
arrive upon the field.
! turned to meet her gaze. saw
closer than ever before, the lustrous
wealth Of dark hair, with natural waves
in its luxuriance, which gave the same
effect as light and shade confer upon
heads of gold. I saw closer than ever
before the broad low forehead, ivory
white, daintily fretted with the irregu-
lar outlines ofthe daintily curving hair,
the rounded cheek on which flush
had settled, 90 delicately that it seemed
almost to doubt its right to touch the
severe loyeliness Of the clear whiteness
which it illuminated, was close against
my brow; the perfumed perfection of
the lips rich red, showing a little
glimpse Of small white teeth on one
side, and drawn down with . little line
Of playful irony on the other, seemed
to invite to the ratification Of close,
lifelong alliance; the bounteous curve
Of q divinely moulded breast stirred the
caressing laces that rustled close to my
ear with her melodious low laugh. And
close-closer than all, gazing, not only
into my face, but into my very soul,
burning, fascinating, enchanting, those
wonderful, inscrutable eyes, that
seemed to have mastered all power, and
to be content only with maddening. be-
wildering, tantalising; eyes that made
reason cheap and honor bauble;
eyes that robbed the future of its signi-
ficance, and made the present not only
sublime. but eternal! Then, like the
breath ofair on spring evening-fresh
and innocent and full Of boundless
and wholesome promise-came the
thought Of Mary, rich in all womanly
grace, strong in the weakness that
makes men worthy OF their strength.
No! God forbid that should forget
you for q fattering smile! fixed my gaze
upon the Basilisk as If upon some
dangerous animal. | thought of that
poor child, SO crushed so wronged; |
thought Of the crimes and evil associa-
tons of that unhalloWed household,
and rose, still looking at Miss Beaufoy.
and stood face to face with the beauti-
full Gree. who wished no good to me
nor to her to whom l had vowed
service.
We looked at one another in silence.
She held both my hands and asked:
"Why have you done this?"
"There is only one reason which
could excuse it.
And that is!"
"Love!"
Her eyes dropped moment. The
color came back into her cheeks,
which had resumed their wonted pale
ness when l arose and confronted
her.
THAT is an excuse for everything =
she murmured.
You must remember Miss Beal,-
foy." ! said, with some agitation
.tbat was ANXIOUS to go as soon as
the immediate reason of my engage
ment had come TO an end !"
II remember that l pressed you 10
stay" she replied very quietly.
Aud l obeyed, against my better
reason. ! had not the courage to cut
myself of from newly -found interest,
newly-found hope in life.''
''And had not the PRIDE" she said,
"to listen to your better reason"
There was pause. knew not
what to say, SD / kept silence. She
was evidently thinking Of something
At last she spoke again.
"You do not remember me, but
remember you. Some years ago yor
met me, in the street. in a music-shor
in Bond.strcct. l see you remember
the woman, though you did not identif,
me-
This was said with . sudden flash O
jealous anger.
..Yes it was /. You would hay,
died for me then. I could see it il
your face"
Il nearly did die for you." I said
the memory Of all that boyish anguish
sweeping again over my soul, as saw
the prize for which l would then hav,
given my soul, now vainly place.
within my grasp.
"Yes," she went on, 'you nearly di.
die for me. Very likely. You ex
pected me to drop into your arms-t'
yield to q sigh, to a longing look
You never thought that l might hay
loved SO deeply, but have been a littl
too old and little too well-bred to SHOW
it to strange young man, who mad
wild eyes at me when he met me a
st. James's Hail."
How did you know it was I?'
"How did you know me?"